ISBN: 978-1-908876-03-4Stefan Grabinski was one of the most original Polish language writers of the early 20th century but an unwillingness to fall in with literary trends and the political turmoil that struck Europe soon after his death meant he was all but forgotten outside his native land until fairly recently. Thankfully, with the publication ofThe Dark Domainin 1994, new blooms of acolytes have sprung up to champion his cause both in Poland and elsewhere.

We at Hieroglyphic believe that his work forms an important thematic bridge between European Symbolists such De L'Isle-Adam and English language writers of metaphysical fiction such as Algernon Blackwood and Arthur Machen. As such we are very proud to announce what we hope to be the first in a series of translations.

To begin this parade of letters we presentOn the Hill of Roses. Originally published in 1919 it was Grabinski's first collection under his own name and served as the official start of his arduous search for artistic recognition. Nearly a hundred years later these pieces stand as testament to their author's talent and on-going literary quest for the bizarre: inThe Frenzied Farmhousewe witness the effect of a malignant anima mundi,Strabismusexplores the conflict of beings over corporal identity while in the title story,On the Hill of Roses, the Decadents fascination with synthesia is used to unveil a tragic history.

CONTENTS:

Foreword by Mark Samuels

Introduction by Miroslaw Lipinski

On the Hill of Roses

The Frenzied Farmhouse

On a Tangent

Strabismus

Shadow

At the Villa by the Sea

Projections

On the Hill of Roses is a sewn and jacketed hardcover the print-run of which is limitedto 300 copies The price is £26 including postage and packaging worldwide

Reviews:

‘On the Hill of Rosesoffers a number of delightfully old-school tales of the dark fantastic and chilly horrific which, at the beginning of the 20th century, created the missing link towards such later practitioners in the similar vein, like Robert Aickman and Thomas Ligotti.’ Dejan Ognjanovic, The Temple of Ghoul

‘This edition is well-designed, with a beautiful dust-jacket appropriate to the title. Mark Samuels provides a brief, affectionate foreword about discovering Grabinski, and the translator a very helpful introduction, explaining just how singular Grabinski was in the Polish literature at the time, and outlining the tragedy of the author's life, and subsequent neglect. The stories will appeal to all connoisseurs of the fantastic and decadent in European literature.’ Mark Valentine, Wormwoodiana